{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Speciesbox | genus = Polygonatum | species = odoratum | image = Angular_solomons-seal_Polygonatum_odoratum.jpg | authority = (Mill.) Druce | synonyms_ref = <ref name="q"/> | synonyms = *''Convallaria odorata'' <small>Mill.</small> *''Polygonatum sigillum'' <small>Druce</small> *''Polygonatum maximowiczii'' <small>F.Schmidt</small> *''Polygonatum hondoense'' <small>Nakai ex Koidz.</small> *''Convallaria polygonatum'' <small>L.</small> *''Convallaria angulosa'' <small>Lam.</small> *''Polygonatum officinale'' <small>All.</small> *''Polygonatum anceps'' <small>Moench</small> *''Polygonatum vulgare'' <small>Desf.</small> *''Convallaria parviflora'' <small>Poir. in J.B.A.M.de Lamarck</small> *''Polygonatum obtusifolium'' <small>Weinm.</small> *''Polygonatum ambiguum'' <small>Link ex Schult. & Schult.f. in J.J.Roemer & J.A.Schultes</small> *''Convallaria compressa'' <small>Steud.</small> *''Convallaria obtusifolia'' <small>Günther ex Steud.</small> *''Polygonatum angulosum'' <small>Montandon in F.Friche-Joset</small> *''Polygonatum simizui'' <small>Kitag.</small> *''Polygonatum langyaense'' <small>D.C.Zhang & J.Z.Shao</small> *''Polygonatum quelpaertense'' <small>Ohwi</small> *''Polygonatum planifilum'' <small>Kitag. & Hir.Takah.</small> *''Polygonatum thunbergii'' <small>C.Morren & Decne.</small> *''Polygonatum japonicum'' <small>C.Morren & Decne.</small> }}
'''''Polygonatum odoratum''''' (syn. ''P. officinale''), the '''angular Solomon's seal''' or '''scented Solomon's seal''', is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia, the Russian Far East, China, Mongolia, Korea, Nepal and Japan.<ref name="q">[http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=284008 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]</ref><ref name="RHSAZ">{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|pages=1136}}</ref><ref>[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200027862 Flora of China, Vol. 24 Page 226, <big>玉竹</big> yu zhu, ''Polygonatum odoratum'' (Miller) Druce, Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist. 60: 226. 1906. ]</ref><ref>[http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index1.php?scientific-name=polygonatum+odoratum Altervista Flora Italiana, Sigillo di Salomone comune, Angular Solomon's Seal, Polygonatum odoratum (Miller) Druce ] includes map of distribution in Europe</ref> In the United Kingdom it is one of three native species of the genus, the others being ''P. multiflorum'' and ''P. verticillatum''.
The genus name ''Polygonatum'' comes from the Greek words "poly", meaning "many", and "gonu", meaning "knee joint". This is in reference to the plant's jointed rhizomes. The Latin specific epithet ''odoratum'' means "scented".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum 'Variegatum' - Plant Finder|url=https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=l820|access-date=2021-03-12|website=www.missouribotanicalgarden.org}}</ref>
==Description== ''Polygonatum odoratum'' is a colonizing herbaceous perennial growing to {{convert|85|cm|0|abbr=on}} tall by {{convert|30|cm|0|abbr=on}} wide, with alternate, simple leaves on arching stems. The scented tubular flowers are white with green tips, borne in spring and hanging from the underside of the stems.<ref name=RHSAZ />
Its fruit persists for an average of 68.4 days, and bears an average of 2.6 seeds per fruit. Fruits average 80.9% water, and their dry weight includes 21.9% carbohydrates and 1.7% lipids.{{sfn|Ehrlén|Eriksson|1991}}
==Cultivation== ''Polygonatum odoratum'', like its relative lily of the valley, is cultivated in moist, shaded situations, where it will spread by underground stolons.<ref>{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector – ''Polygonatum odoratum''|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1502|accessdate=28 May 2013}}</ref> Cultivars include 'Flore pleno'<ref>{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector – ''Polygonatum odoratum'' 'Flore Pleno'|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=6010|accessdate=28 May 2013}}</ref> and 'Variegatum'.<ref>{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector – ''Polygonatum odoratum'' 'Variegatum'|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=6109|accessdate=28 May 2013}}</ref>
==Use== [[File:Dunggulle.jpg|thumb|''Dunggulle'' (lesser Solomon's seal roots]] ''Polygonatum odoratum'' is used in traditional Chinese medicine and Traditional Korean medicine, where it is called ''yùzhú'' (玉竹) and ''dunggulle'' (둥굴레) respectively. In Korea, the root of the plant is used to make tea.
This plant species is described in the work ''Plantas Medicinales'' (medicinal plants) of Pius Font i Quer.<ref>Pius Font i Quer, Plantas medicinales, editorial Labor, 1962</ref> According to it, its rhizome contains asparagine, mucilage, a cardio-tonic glycoside, saponin, and quinine gluconate. It has been used for intestinal problems and pain, for rheumatism, gout, water retention, and as a diuretic. He says that the scientific medicine has used it to treat diabetes. He also describes a digestive liquor that uses the rhizome of this plant.
The young shoots of the plants may be boiled and served like asparagus. The stems, leaves, and berries, however, must be treated with caution, as they are thought to be toxic if consumed in large quantities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' (Angled Solomon's Seal, Fragrant Solomon's Seal, Japanese Solomon Seal, Striped Solomon's Seal 'Variegatum', Variegated Solomon's Seal) {{!}} North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox|url=https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/polygonatum-odoratum-variegatum/|access-date=2021-03-12|website=plants.ces.ncsu.edu}}</ref>
===Safety=== Its rhizome contains scattered raphides, but only in the cortex (outer layer).{{sfn|Liu|Liu|Yu|Xu|2014}}
==Varieties== Four varieties are recognized:<ref name="q"/> *''Polygonatum odoratum'' var. ''maximowiczii'' <small>(F.Schmidt) Koidz.</small> – Japan, Russian Far East *''Polygonatum odoratum'' var. ''odoratum'' – widespread from Portugal and Great Britain to Japan and Kamchatka *''Polygonatum odoratum'' var. ''pluriflorum'' <small>(Miq.) Ohwi</small> – Japan, Korea *''Polygonatum odoratum'' var. ''thunbergii'' <small>(C.Morren & Decne.) H.Hara</small> – Japan, Korea
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Bibliography== * {{cite journal |date=2014-11-19 |last1=Liu |first1=Yingjiao |last2=Liu |first2=Canhuang |last3=Yu |first3=Yafei |last4=Xu |first4=Bei |last5=Gong |first5=Limin |last6=Zeng |first6=Xiaoyan |last7=Xiao |first7=Lan |last8=Cheng |first8=Qilai |last9=Liu |first9=Tasi |title=Authentication of Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma and other two Chinese Materia Medica of the Liliaceae family by pharmacognosy technique with GC–MS analysis |doi=10.1002/jemt.22453 |journal=Microscopy Research and Technique |eissn=1097-0029 |volume=78 |issue=2}} * {{cite journal |date=1991 |first1=Johan |last1=Ehrlén |first2=Ove |last2=Eriksson |title=Phenological variation in fruit characteristics in vertebrate-dispersed plants |pages=463–470 |doi=10.1007/BF00318311 |journal=Oecologia |issn=0029-8549 |volume=86 |issue=4}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060903151745/http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/modzz/00001139.html Msu.edu: ''Polygonatum odoratum''] {{Commons category|position=left}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q157430}} {{Authority control}}
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odoratum Category:Flora of Europe Category:Flora of temperate Asia Category:Plants described in 1758 Category:Garden plants of Asia Category:Garden plants of Europe Category:Medicinal plants of Asia Category:Medicinal plants of Europe